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For those who has spent a long time renting, confronted by the same standard-issue beige walls and longing for injecting personal style to their home, Pantone's new Colour of the Year might seem like a direct affront.

This year, the influential color company has selected white as its premier hue.

To be precise, the shade is called Cloud Dancer – a white described as "lofty" and "airy" which "functions as a symbol of tranquility in a society re-evaluating the value of stillness".

It marks the initial instance white has been chosen as the Colour of the Year, and it has generated significant controversy.

According to Pantone, Cloud Dancer "transcends mere pigment, it's a mindset" and reflects a collective urge to decelerate, recalibrate and achieve serenity after years of sensory saturation.

But some detractors have dubbed the decision as "Pantonedeaf", contending that elevating sparse and immaculate white spaces can seem distant from the more compact, messier homes everyday individuals call home.

Some observers argue that framing white as an ideal carries racial undertones, landing uncomfortably within current societal dialogues about inclusion and diversity.

Clinical or Calm?

Interior expert Chris Beaumont says the criticism transcends aesthetics, arguing that white carries societal connotations and is seldom a innocuous choice.

"White is a signal," he says, shaped by a decade of sparse star homes – most famously Kim Kardashian's stripped-back home – that came to symbolize "affluence, control and distance from chaos".

He explains that white is "not intended to inspire but being careful not to offend", with Cloud Dancer representing "austerity, virtuous simplicity and the idea that neutrality denotes virtue".

The designer cites the pandemic as a turning point in how people interact with their homes.

"Almost instantly they transformed into our offices, sanctuaries and sources of stability," he says, noting that in this context, pushing the Colour of the Year towards "more visual emptiness feels rather disconnected".

Rather than offering calm, he contends white now risks intensifying "a feeling of emptiness", particularly when combined with harsh, sterile lighting.

'Sterile Sensations

An interior designer, a UK-based interior designer, agrees and says Cloud Dancer "is not perceived as a colour" and is "completely rejected for me".

Although it may work in extremely sparse or structural spaces, she says pure white shades rarely create calm in everyday living spaces.

"What looks serene in a professional photo can readily feel clinical at home," she explains.

"White can feel stark and unforgiving and you wouldn't wish your home to give clinical feelings."

She continues that "living spaces should spark joy and feel warm and welcoming, and this shade feels quite distant from that."

The critic hopes that homeowners will reject the Pantone Colour of the Year in favour of "full-scale joyful interior design", using vibrant hues to express individuality.

A representative of the Pantone Colour Institute stated that people "bring different feelings" to the meaning of the colour, but it was selected as it "integrates perfectly with everything around it, offering a sophisticated impartiality that seems intentional and adaptable".

Since its launch in 2000, Pantone's Colour of the Year has become a significant industry signal.

Previous selections have featured the optimism of Living Coral, the calm confidence of Classic Blue, the vibrancy of Viva Magenta, and most recently softer, emotionally driven tones like Peach Fuzz.

These colours don't just live on trend forecasts - they appear in fashion collections, cosmetic products, home decor, product wrapping and even technology, influencing how products are sold and how consumers imagine the coming year.

A style and trend expert, says Cloud Dancer is a "beautiful choice" and while it may appear basic, "this specific hue feels soft and refined rather than severe".

Contrary to those who say the colour is boring, the expert sees it as "adaptable" and says it's best used in "sleeping quarters and communal spaces where you want a peaceful, restful ambiance".

"Even if you prefer not to redecorate, you can introduce the colour into a room with pillows, blankets and drapes."

Interior designer James Mellan-Matulewicz says although he was taken aback that Pantone's selection this year was "fundamentally the absence of colour", it is a bit like a basic flavor, in that "everyone likes it but it's nobody's favourite".

He can see its benefits, noting that white can work especially effectively as a backdrop for architectural details like wall molding and curved entries which is a "growing trend in modern homes".

In apparel, white has long been a staple rather than a bold declaration and as a Colour of the Year it presents a unique test to designers more accustomed to vibrant colors.

Luxury stylist Oriona Robb says championing white feels "not focused on newness and more concerned with purpose", reflecting a movement towards refinement after years of trend overloads.

"White forces designers and those who wear it alike to focus on form, proportion and quality, there's really nowhere to hide," she clarifies.

But she continues that it also carries assumptions around self-image, lifestyle and advantage, stating: "If white is viewed as something only a narrow group of people can pull off, it becomes divisive."

She says the industry is already cognizant of the problematic connotations associated with celebrating white as an ideal, especially during ongoing discussions about representation and approachability, and the real test will be whether "brands engage with that nuance honestly, or simply aestheticise the colour".

A Cultural Mood, Not a Trend

Stylist Another expert admits the choice initially shocked her, considering Pantone's track record of bold colours, but says it mirrors a genuine shift and fits within a broader sentiment of "quiet luxury